Dr. Ellie Vale-Saquieres, DNP, FNP-C shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Ellie , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building right now is the foundation of something that will outlast me—our upcoming MSN Family Nurse Practitioner and DNP programs here at NUC–Florida Technical College. While they’re still in development, what happens behind the scenes—the intentional scaffolding, the strategic alignment, the mentoring frameworks—is where the real work is happening.
People might not see the hours spent ensuring the curriculum speaks to both academic rigor and real-world practice, or how much thought goes into developing equitable clinical experiences that reflect the populations our graduates will serve. I’m building pathways, not just programs—ones that will empower nurses to lead with integrity, cultural competence, and evidence-based care.
At the same time, I’m deeply invested in my own growth to better serve this vision. I’m advancing my education through board certification in Functional Medicine, pursuing a PhD in Education and Human Learning at the University of Miami, and preparing to begin the Master’s in Medical Sciences at the University of Florida’s School of Medicine. Each of these pursuits sharpens my ability to lead, teach, and innovate.
So, what I’m building that no one sees? A legacy—rooted in education, grounded in purpose, and built for the future of nursing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Dr. Ellie Vale-Saquieres, though most people simply call me Dr. V. I wear many hats—each one rooted in a deep commitment to service, education, and purpose. As the Nursing Program Manager and lead instructor at NUC–Florida Technical College, I oversee and teach across our MSN-Education, ASN, and RN-BSN programs. I’m also leading the development of our upcoming MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs—two visionary initiatives that will help shape the future of advanced nursing practice.
Outside of academia, I’m the founder and CEO of The Bar Aesthetics & Wellness, a concierge practice in Orlando that merges primary care, functional medicine, and aesthetics. At The Bar, we provide deeply personalized, evidence-based care that bridges the science of healing with the art of wellness—making healthcare both transformative and sustainable. Our approach is unique in how it seamlessly integrates clinical precision with holistic, beauty-forward wellness.
I also serve as a provider with Sirius Healthcare, where I care for at-risk and underserved populations, focusing on infectious disease management and community health outreach. This work keeps me grounded in the realities of public health and continually renews my passion for health equity and accessible care.
What truly makes my journey distinct is the intersection of education, clinical practice, entrepreneurship, and service. I’m currently pursuing board certification in Functional Medicine, a PhD in Education and Human Learning at the University of Miami, and preparing to begin the Master’s in Medical Sciences program at the University of Florida’s School of Medicine. Each of these experiences strengthens my mission to build systems and programs that empower, uplift, and transform.
Right now, I’m focused on building legacy programs in nursing education, expanding access to integrative and functional care, and redefining what modern, whole-person wellness looks like for patients. And the most exciting part? I’m just getting started.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
First and foremost, my relationship with God has shaped everything about how I see myself. My faith anchors me—it gives me clarity, purpose, and peace in moments of chaos. It’s through this spiritual connection that I’ve learned to lead with humility, to persevere with grace, and to trust in a bigger plan even when I can’t yet see the outcome.
Secondly, becoming a mother to my son changed everything. He is the living, breathing reminder of why I do what I do. Watching him grow has helped me grow too—into a more patient, present, and powerful version of myself. He challenges me to keep becoming, and inspires me to model strength, compassion, and purpose and lastly, my husband—my lifelong partner, my rock. We’ve been through everything together since I was just 14 years old. Now at 35, we’re still standing strong—still choosing each other, still building together despite all of life’s twists and turns. He has seen me in every version of myself—before the titles, before the degrees, before the white coat. He has always loved me for my soul, not my résumé. His unwavering belief in me, especially during the hardest moments, has been one of my life’s greatest gifts. Next to our son, he is my biggest supporter and my safe place.
Each of these relationships has built the woman I am today—faithful, fierce, compassionate, and committed. And for that, I am endlessly grateful.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
One of the most profound shifts in my mindset came after walking through one of the hardest chapters of my life—my battle with infertility. After the birth of our son, my husband and I experienced nine pregnancy losses. Each one brought a wave of hope, followed by unbearable grief. And every time, I turned to the system I knew best—Western medicine—for answers. But time after time, I was told that everything was “normal.”
But nothing about it felt normal.
I followed every protocol, saw every specialist, and trusted every lab result—yet I was still left with more questions than answers. That repeated heartbreak, coupled with the feeling of being unseen and unheard by the system I was trained in, became the turning point. It led me to ask deeper questions—not just what’s wrong, but why is this happening?
That’s when my passion for functional and holistic medicine began to take root. I started to explore the body in a new way—looking at the gut, hormones, chronic inflammation, micronutrient depletion, and the mind-body connection. I came to realize that true healing isn’t just about treating symptoms as they appear—it’s about understanding the root cause and restoring balance from the inside out.
To be clear: I still believe deeply in the power of traditional Western medicine. It saves lives. It provides critical interventions. And it continues to evolve in incredible ways. But I’ve also come to understand its limitations, especially when it comes to chronic conditions and women’s health. That realization reshaped my approach to care. I began adopting a preventative mindset—one that focuses on healing the gut and internal systems, optimizing lifestyle, and creating true homeostasis in the body. When you support the body holistically, it remembers how to heal.
That shift not only transformed my personal journey—it changed the way I practice. At The Bar Aesthetics & Wellness, we now blend the best of both worlds: the science and structure of Western medicine with the intuition, personalization, and depth of functional healing. We help patients go beyond symptom management and into deep, sustainable wellness.
Those losses nearly broke me. But they also rebuilt me—with greater clarity, deeper empathy, and a calling I never expected. Now, I get to turn that pain into purpose every single day—by offering the kind of care I once needed so badly myself.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Without question, I admire Dr. Arnold M. Einhorn—my mentor, my teacher, and a true light in my life. What sets him apart isn’t any title or position—it’s his extraordinary character. He saw something in me long before I saw it in myself. At a time when I felt invisible, when others overlooked my potential, he looked right at me and said, “You belong here.”
Dr. Einhorn’s belief in me was transformative. He didn’t just teach me about medicine—he taught me about presence. About listening. About leading with heart. He showed me that the most powerful thing a healer can do is not prescribe, or speak, or perform—but to truly listen, not just with the ears, but with the soul. His wisdom was never loud, but it was unforgettable. His kindness never demanded attention, but it left a permanent imprint.
Everything I do—from how I teach, to how I care for my patients, to how I show up as a leader—is touched by the lessons he instilled in me. His impact is immeasurable, and I carry his voice with me every single day. Not for the power he held, but for the depth of his character and the grace with which he shared it.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived with purpose—that I used every gift God gave me to pour into others. That I didn’t just build programs, practices, or businesses, but that I built people. I want them to say I led with heart, that I saw potential where others saw problems, and that I never gave up on anyone—including myself.
I hope my students remember me as the kind of educator who didn’t just teach nursing, but modeled compassion, resilience, and integrity. That I was the professor who made them feel seen, heard, and believed in, even when they couldn’t yet believe in themselves.
I hope my patients say I listened—really listened—and that in my care, they felt safe, whole, and human. That I blended the best of science and soul to help them heal not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually too.
I hope my son says I was present. That no matter how busy or ambitious I became, he always felt loved, prioritized, and inspired. That he saw me chase big dreams and still come home with open arms. That I made him proud to call me Mom.
And I hope my husband tells our story—the one of two kids who grew up together, built a life through every high and low, and never stopped choosing one another. That we weathered the storms and celebrated the sun—and always held on.
And when people tell the story of my life, I hope they say: She led with love. She listened deeply. She served faithfully. And she left the world better than she found it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thebarmobile.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebaraestheticsandwellness
